Wakeful
by Goz
Summary: Mew sighed. He said, Not that Entei and Suicune are likely to be there yet, but... Okay, could you please not - no, of course you couldn't. By all means, DO drop hints, incite chaos, and generally entertain yourself.
1. Unhappy Machines

Wakeful  
  
by Goz  
  
Disclaimer: I own some merchandise. But I don't own any of the characters or anything...  
  
Warning: This is a Pokemon fanfic about a girl who catches Mew. Written by a person with incomplete knowledge of the cartoon. Caveat emptor.  
  
Timeline Note: Ash and Gary are seventeen, and have been defeating each other for the title of League Champion for several years. Misty and Brock have taken up their Gym Leader duties again.  
  
Despite the League's attempts at regulation and arguments that their use is unethical, Master Balls have become far too common...  
  
-  
  
Prologue  
  
-  
  
If you really wanted Fess's services, you'd be on time; she didn't wait around for more than twenty minutes. The appointment had been for eight PM - it was now exactly eight twenty-one.  
  
The email had stated the time in two different sentences, and the guy had said that he was saving a back-up copy. The directions to the cave had been very exact and the grammar had been impeccable. No mention had been made of what the guy wanted Fess to break into or how she would be paid. There had been no name attached. This was not the way the police worked when trying to entrap someone. So Fess had come.  
  
"Gotta stop takin' the ones 'at sound weird." Fess talked to herself whenever she thought someone might be listening. "Yeah - sometimes they pay more. But use'ly they're just air." She dropped her backpack and started to spread out her sleeping bag.  
  
"Less just go ta sleep anyway. Kwa kin get rid of 'im, if 'e shows up and tries ta bug me." Fess knew she sounded intoxicated. A blue-white light flashed, and Fess ordered the Quagsire shortly, "Guard. Wake me up 'bout a half-hour past dawn."  
  
Fess did things that didn't make sense. But sometimes...  
  
-  
  
The way to tell whether a Quagsire was wild or tame was fairly simple. Wild ones were nocturnal, so any Quagsire who yawned at night was tame. This was trivia right now - Mew already knew that this was where the girl was - but he thought of it anyway. Quagsires yawned *loudly*.  
  
And passed out quietly. The only sound to pierce the silence of the night was a dull thump, and a very quiet, woeful "Mew!" Mew always felt a little sick when he used Giga Drain. So many attacks just didn't feel right to his natural form.  
  
Maybe, a long time ago, they had known more about it than he did now. But his theory was that the ancient Mews had died out because they just couldn't handle being able to use every attack in existence - he accidentally slipped completely into Transform a lot when using attacks like Crabhammer, and it was possible to get stuck while switching forms. Dittos generally died from it. It didn't explain the small number of Togepi and Clefairy, who learned Metronome but not Transform, but there could be other reasons for that.  
  
The girl was not waking up - he had used Water Gun on her three times, and she didn't seem to notice, curled up on her side and breathing very quietly. Was she sedated? Frustrated, he whipped her face with his tail, still sore from the grass attack. He didn't have *time* to find someone else to get him into the problematic building - Talbot could catch up to him any time -  
  
She jerked upward, not completely awake, and batted his tail away blindly. "*Pry!* How many times I gotta tell ya -"  
  
*I knocked out your Quagsire.* Mew had quickly retreated to the shadowy back of the cave. The girl looked around swiftly, trying figure out where the voice was coming from. Then her eyes settled on the shadowy figure in the corner and went squinty, in a very odd display of surprise.  
  
"Didja, then? Whadda you want?"  
  
*I understand you're very good at breaking into places.*  
  
The girl smiled grimly, eyes normal again. "Ya could say that."  
  
*I need to get into Team Rocket headquarters. I have an Eevee, the three evolution stones, and directions to getting the other two evolutions if you can do it.* He felt slightly ill saying that, but at least the Eevee was a volunteer.  
  
"Can and have. But I dunno what I'd do wit' that payment."  
  
*Well, what do you want?* She tapped the side of her head, looking upward mock-thoughtfully.  
  
"Kinda hard ta believe, but I've never run inta a legend'ry Pokemon before. How 'bout you answer a few questions fer me?" Of course she recognized him. Everyone knew what he looked like. He hesitated for a moment.  
  
*I can do that. *After* you get me into the Rocket Headquarters.*  
  
"Oh, ya wanna get in yerself?" She looked speculative. "I'll take the stones, too, then. But not th' Eevee."  
  
*Fine.* That was one more ethical issue he didn't have to worry about.  
  
"But I need one question answered now," she said sharply, holding up one hand. "How ya gonna get in without bein' seen? I generally go by m'self, ya know. An' when I don't, just wit' a Ghastly or something makin' sure I'm doin' what I'm supposed ta."  
  
*I won't be seen,* he said, trying to sound mystical and impressive. He wondered if he ought to be offended by the thought that a Ghastly was better qualified than a Mew for something.  
  
"You'd better not. I don't like bein' caught sneakin' inta Team Rocket HQ. When d'ya want me ta do it?"  
  
*Tomorrow.*  
  
"I assume ya kin teleport?"  
  
*Yes.*  
  
"Fine. Jus' come back fer me at 'bout six thirty. 'll be ready." That was clearly a dismissal. He smoldered inwardly as the cave dematerialized around him. *Don't I get any respect from *anyone*? I hate being the cute one.*  
  
Another cave, halfway around the world. There were a few hundred cave systems with points it would take two days walking to get to. There were only about forty fragile enough that a Diglett or Onix couldn't be used to get to fractionalize the time - and these were important when someone always knew where you were...  
  
-  
  
"H'mph!" Fess was digging through her backpack with one hand, smiling grimly straight ahead at the wall. "...takin' the weird 'ns..." She carefully pulled a Poke Ball out of her backpack. There was an "M" on the catch.  
  
"'ll be ready."  
  
-  
  
Part 1: Unhappy Machines  
  
-  
  
For some reason, it was possible to use items - evolution stones, potions, TM's - on Pokemon still inside their balls. You poured liquids and opened TM's into the catch - it looked weird as all-get-out, but the ball would act as though the catch weren't there, and you were just pouring into a hole. You just touched the stones to any part of the ball. Renee had evolved her Sunkern that way; she said Pokemon adjusted to evolution more easily if they evolved still in the Poke Ball. And of course, your Pokemon wouldn't have a chance to interrogate you if you put them away before you revived them...  
  
And Master Balls glowed when you did anything of the kind. Strange world. Somewhere, a giant rock snake was inside a little machine about the size of her fist. And a pink sheep was easily defeating a huge dragon. And one teenager from Pallet Town was beating up another for the most coveted position in the world, and no one was even bothering to watch this time.  
  
And somewhere near Vermilion City, a Gym Leader's little sister was hiding behind a stalagtite with a Master Ball, and a mythical pink thing was appearing in exactly the perfect spot. He blinked and froze, outraged.  
  
*I'll be very unhappy if you use that.* Fess paused for a tenth of a second, shrugged, and threw the Poke Ball. There was a little flash of light, and the ball hit the ground softly.  
  
"How depressin'." Fess walked over to the Poke Ball, picked it up, and pressed the button. Before he could Teleport away, she said quickly, "Sorry. Jus' wanted ta be able ta say I did that."  
  
**Excuse* me?!*  
  
"Wanted ta be able ta say I did that." Mew looked confounded, apparently too confused to leave. "Hey, come on, I had a Master Ball an' there wuz a legend'ry Pokemon. If I ever write an autobiography, it'd sell out right 'way." He was backing away, looking bewildered and angry. *And *how* do you intend to convince anyone that you *caught* me?!*  
  
"I don't. But if I kin say I did an' it's true an' no one believes it, I'll be right an' they'll be wrong." Fess said it as though it made perfect sense.  
  
Mew put one hand to his forehead, aggravated. *That makes *no* sense -*  
  
"'course it doesn't. Now, ya wanted me ta break inta Team Rocket's basement?"  
  
He shook his head in vexation, giving up. *I guess so... uh, are you ready now?*  
  
"Always. Ya know what yer lookin' fer, right?" Fess asked as she dragged her backpack towards her with her foot.  
  
*Yes. I just haven't been able to get in -* Fess stumbled backwards as the cave around her was suddenly replaced by an empty road. *- but I know exactly where to go once I'm inside,* Mew continued without a break. *The talking Meowth sold a map to a Sneasel -*  
  
"The guy musta taken his time at gettin' disgruntled," Fess interrupted, walking off ahead. The light was still dim and bluish here, and the distracted little cat-thing was quite visible.  
  
*What? No, he just wanted a ball of yarn the Sneasel had.*  
  
"Impressive criminals."  
  
*Well... sometimes. Oh -* The pink spot at the edge of Fess's vision suddenly vanished, and she looked back quickly. There was a little Ghastly with curiously oversized eyes in Mew's place. "Ya know Transform?"  
  
*Yes - uh, I mean - sort of.*  
  
"I'd go wit' a Misdreavus."  
  
*They can't use Hypnosis.* Fess covered her eyes. *Not for you. In case someone sees me.*  
  
"It's hard ta notice Ghastlies unless they got their eyes all deformed." Ghastlies only had the big, goofy eyes when they *wanted* to be seen.  
  
*Ghastlies see funny. I don't like to use their eyes,* he said touchily.  
  
"Then use a Misdreavus or somethin'."  
  
*They can't use Hypnosis.* Fess gave up.  
  
Celadon was an intensely boring city - even the *coffee* places didn't open until seven. As it was six right now, the only thing open was an important-looking gray building with lots of reflecting glass and an expensive sign saying "Unicorp, Inc".  
  
"If that's not an indication've evil, I dunno what is." Fess slipped into the narrow alley to the right - the woman behind the desk inside was struggling to keep an indignant Raticate still enough to be brushed, paying no attention to what went on outside. The power for the lobby security cameras came from a little Voltorb-powered generator tacked onto the side of the building. The wires were hard to cut - they were coated with very thick rubber -  
  
*Huh?*  
  
"Never mind." Fess snapped her Pokedex open, hit "Run", and typed "C:\pry.exe". A Porygon 2 materialized at her shoulder, startling the odd-looking Ghastly. "Leee!" Pry gave him a single penetrating look, then turned back to Fess, awaiting orders. Mew looked as piqued as was possible for a Ghastly with Mew-eyes.  
  
- but that was perfectly useless when the power was controlled by a computer system that could be accessed from a panel atop the generator. A Porygon (or, technically, Pry) could go in, make the system crash, and get out in less than two seconds. A Porygon 2 (or, technically, Pry) took .0002 seconds. Fess could have done it herself - typing "/x" on the diagnostics selection screen would make anything using this OS crash - but why did she have Pry anyway? -  
  
*What is she doing now?* asked Mew hesitantly, following Fess across the street. Pry had summarily finished mishandling the security system, shrunk very small, and vanished into a crack in the shoddy generator housing. Loud banging came from within.  
  
"Makin' noise ta get brilliant in there outside -" The blond woman had grabbed a telephone and was yelling into it frustratedly. The Raticate was chewing on the hairbrush with single-minded intensity, wanting it completely destroyed by the time she was off the phone. "Nobody ever catches on that th' computer's been hacked, not messed wit' by Sentrets or somethin'."  
  
*Won't they notice that you're standing over here?* The Rocket had kicked the Raticate out the door, hurling the hairbrush to the floor. Raticate skidded to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk and clung to the cement, refusing to move. The woman grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and carried her into the alley, hissing threats. *And what about the Porygon?*  
  
"Don't worry 'bout her." Raticate was biting - brushing Raticates was generally a bad idea. They had large teeth.  
  
*But they have Master Balls -* There was a slight edge to his voice.  
  
"She'll be fine."  
  
*But -*  
  
"Come on. Ya wanted in. She don't have any Master Balls." Fess walked across the empty street, impervious to the strained Pokemon's protests.  
  
*Yes she *does*.*  
  
"Pry kin take care've herself."  
  
*I *know* that woman has access to Master Balls -*  
  
Fess opened the door, closed it carefully behind her, and wandered over to the door to the stairwell before answering. The anguished Gastly whipped around in front of her, looking apoplectic. "Clearly ya don't recognize a professional when ya see one. Th' definition of professional's someone who goes back ta bein' an executable in a Pokedex as soon's they hear Team Rocket comin'," Fess said. She heard a little strangled sound in the back of her mind, and he reluctantly moved out of her way.  
  
*...they spend five trillion yen on psychic-proof shielding, then they use key locks,* Mew grumbled after a moment, looking backwards impatiently as she painstakingly manipulated the lock. "And leave the key jus' lyin' on the desk lotsa times, too," added Fess, dropping the bit of wire into her pocket as she swung to door open.  
  
*YOU HAVE A KEY?! Why didn't you USE IT?!?!*  
  
"Where's the fun in that?" The door closed quietly behind her. *I am *paying* you for this,* he said very controlledly after a moment. *I'd *think* it would have been faster and safer to use a key.*  
  
"Yeah, woulda been. But I don't have one. Didn't pick it up. Ya know where yer goin' from here?"  
  
*...The fifth floor down.* The stairwell had been removed and replaced with a cement hallway. "'scuse me - ya said the place was psychic-proof?"  
  
*There's just a shield around the outside. I can do whatever I want *within* the shield.*  
  
"Feh. 'scuses."  
  
*Oh, yes, I *surely* made this *up*,* he snapped, abruptly transforming back into an enraged Mew. *Psychological breakdowns are something of a *hobby* of mine -*  
  
"Don' go any further. It's disturbin'." He paused, baffled, then shook his head.  
  
*Whatever. Please stand back.* Fess didn't move. He exhaled angrily and teleported himself backward several yards. Some sort of psychic thing involving a blinding flash of red light occurred - when Fess's vision cleared, a perfectly symmetrical hole had been melted into the floor, and the smell of burnt rock and metal filled the hallway. "Never found that sorta stuff interestin'. Why'd ya bother wit' that?"  
  
*The entire security system for the the B-6 level is mounted below us. They aren't very smart,* he added as he disappeared into the floor. *Oh, there are TM's in the room three doors away from the hole, to your current left. You had might as well steal some - I'm going to destroy everything in there in a few minutes.*  
  
"Good fer you. Better be quick - that level's where they make th' Master Balls, y'know. Giovanni's watchin'," she added before Mew could respond.  
  
She opened the designated door unworriedly - there were rarely security cameras this far down. Sadly, this was not the case in this room. Fess waved cheerfully at the camera and studied the shelf of TM's. There were a number of locked drawers embedded in the opposite wall, about the size to hold one Poke Ball each. "Must sneak out lotsa Safari Balls."  
  
*HOW do people like you escape natural selection?* The floor was mysteriously warm under the soles of Fess's shoes, though she heard only minor hellish explosions through the door.  
  
"I blame m' older brother. Always made me wear a sweater."  
  
*...Whatever.*  
  
Fess carefully selected one TM out of the several hundred available. "They don' have security systems in mosta th' lower floors. They've got the Teleport TM here. Magnemites, Butterfrees, Jigglypuffs, Voltorbs, Staryus -"  
  
*Yes, they're not very smart - uh, they're also coming towards you - you should go across the hall now.*  
  
"I expect you ta brainwash 'em 'bout me, thanks. Ya didn't mention the camera in there." The hole in the floor had apparently been sealed up a bit too late - there was a nasty stain on the ceiling above it, and the hallway was much hotter than the closed room. *Fine. Whatever. Be quiet.*  
  
For reasons unclear, the room directly across the one containing several trillion yen worth of Poke Balls and TM's held a bunch of cardboard boxes of old Safari Balls.  
  
"Good heavens! I think these're M'ster Balls!"  
  
*...*  
  
Fess sat down carefully behind a pile of boxes - the floor remained unnaturally warm, but the mass destruction sounded to have moved into the room she had just been in. The panicking criminals had finally reached the endangered part of their hideout - "WHAT IS DOING THAT?!?! Did that weirdo bring in a CHARIZARD?!" Mew made an indignant little noise.  
  
"Whaaaat was that?"  
  
"THINGS BLOWING UP, GENIUS!"  
  
"Listen, Roger, you get your stupid Gyarados out and -"  
  
"IN HERE?! Are you crazy?!"  
  
"Who has a water Pokemon, then -"  
  
"I've got Goldeeeeen!"  
  
"It might not even *be* a Fire-type -"  
  
"Okay, who's got the STRONGEST -"  
  
"Me."  
  
"Me!"  
  
"MEEEEE!!!"  
  
"Okay, bad question - look -"  
  
"My Ariados could -"  
  
"Oh, give it up already!"  
  
"WE'RE GONNA LOOK FOR THAT GIRL. We can GET THE POKEMON if we get hold of its TRAINER. *Got it?*"  
  
Mew growled. *I've only got two rooms to go - could you stall them for a couple minutes?*  
  
"You had to've heard THAT! It's some guy taaaaalking! About staaaalling and stuuuuuff!"  
  
"No problem," said Fess.  
  
"Yaaagh! Where is he?"  
  
"ANNIE, you STAY HERE. ROY, ROGER, we're going to START SEARCHING ROOMS. GOT IT?!"  
  
"Okay, okay, okay!" Someone was having a good deal of difficulty with the doorknob.  
  
"Owwwww! That door's HOT!"  
  
"Actually, that's not too surprisin'," Fess decided. Mew was being quiet, deciding not to comment.  
  
"I told YOU to stay HERE. In case she comes out while we're searching. OKAY?"  
  
"WAH!"  
  
"Hey, Oakley, do you have the key to -"  
  
"You're turning the *knob* the wrong way."  
  
"...oh. Wait -"  
  
"Arrrrgh!" A woman with green hair shoved the door open and stormed in, flipping on the light switch. "*See?!* There are NO Wobbuffets HIDING in the SCARY dark -" she screamed at the nervous guy behind her. Another woman peeked in curiously.  
  
"Roy? That's herrrrr." Fess decided not to get up. The ranting woman blinked and looked back into the room.  
  
"Oh... okay. You're coming with US, bimbo!"  
  
"No, thanks."  
  
"CALL YOUR POKEMON OFF ALREADY!" yelled someone outside. "It's DESTROYED the Master Ball thingie! QUICK, make her STOP the thing!"  
  
"Nice name." The green-haired woman blushed furiously.  
  
"You call your crazy Pokemon BACK -"  
  
"It's not a Pokemon. 's the Saffron Gym Leader."  
  
"Sabrina?" Roy froze, a look of terror on her face. "Why's she doing THIS?" demanded Roger, looking bewildered and frightened.  
  
Annie waved a hand in front of Roy's eyes. "You okaaaaay?"  
  
"Some'un on Team Rocket stole a Pokemon of hers - a Vulpix wit' Faint Attack. She's pretty ticked."  
  
"OAKLEEEEEY! Find the Vulpix that knows Faint Attaaaack!" wailed Annie, fleeing into the hallway. Roger looked around in confusion. "Search the compuuuter! It's *gotta* be there!"  
  
"Uh - going, going -" Fess crossed her arms, smiling placidly.  
  
"....uh - who are you?" asked Roger hesitantly, tapping Roy's arm.  
  
"A Ditto."  
  
"You are *not* -"  
  
"*Here!*" A guy with bright orange hair appeared in the door, knocking over Roger and the still-paralyzed Roy. He threw a Poke Ball at her aggressively. "It's the only Vulpix with Faint Attack we've *got*! Take it and both of you *get out of here*!" Fess didn't move. "...please?"  
  
"Yuh done?" Fess asked, dropping the Vulpix in her pocket. A yellow, clawed hand tapped her shoulder.  
  
**What* was that, again?* The Kadabra asked, bewildered, as Fess unlocked the stairwell door again.  
  
"Muh little brother's been lookin' fer a Vulpix who knows Faint Attack." The Raticate was sitting at the desk by herself, contentedly gnawing at a mouse cord. She looked up, waved, and looked back down, uninterested.  
  
*...whatever.* Teleporting was a bit disorienting, but Fess intended to get used to it.  
  
"Where's this?" Forests were everywhere, and looked the same everywhere.  
  
*Viridian City's that way - do you need to get to someplace else?*  
  
"Nope - but hold it - yuh said you'd answer a couple questions fer me?"  
  
*Uh... I guess. What did you want to know?* 


	2. Very Good at Finding Things

Wakeful - Part 2  
  
by Goz  
  
Disclaimer: I own some merchandise. But I don't own any of the characters or anything...  
  
-  
  
Part 2: Very Good at Finding Things  
  
-  
  
*Uh... I guess. What did you want to know?* Mew was drifting off, looking distracted. Fess crossed her arms and dropped to the ground - several odd-looking rocks appeared next to her, and Mew turned around, alert again. Fess ignored them. "What attacks d'ya know?"  
  
*All of them.* He sounded smug.  
  
"What, ya used Mimic on Sketch, or somethin' like Metronome?" He blinked and shook his head.  
  
**What?* Well, I guess that could work - maybe... Like Metronome. That other one would take a *really* long time,* he added thoughtfully.  
  
"'kay. What happened ta Mewtwo after 'e ran away from Team Rocket?"  
  
*He - but -* Mew broke off in confusion, scratching one ear. *I thought - I guess Mr. Ketchum must have decided not to tell anyone,* he finished, sounding puzzled.  
  
"First time fer everythin'. But what happened that he'd want ta?" Mew looked irritated and slightly ashamed. *Well, Mewtwo - wasn't quite mentally stable, and tried to - well, take over the world, I think. And there was some fighting. But he seems to be okay now. I haven't spoken to him since.*  
  
"Sounds pretty borin' - hold it, were Brock an' Misty wit' Ketchum then? When was this?"  
  
*The Gym Leaders? Yes. It was about seven years ago. When there was that big storm - the first one, before the one with the birds.*  
  
"Nope. Yer makin it up. No way." Fess crossed her arms, eyes narrow. Mew looked offended.  
  
*I am *not*. Why do you say *that*?*  
  
"Nope. Brock can't keep a secret. No *possible* way that's true." Mew's tail twitched. Fess went on doggedly. "He talks 'bout giant Gengars, Alakazams, an' Jigglypuffs, canyons've Aerodactyls and Omanytes, and Ghastlies pretendin' ta be human ghosts. No way he'd leave that out."  
  
"It's true! I was *there*,* he insisted. *But -* He frowned and fell silent. *...I didn't think he'd *brainwash* them.* Mew sounded mildly appalled. Then he shook off the startlement and finished. *I assume Mewtwo erased their memories so no one would know he was still alive.*  
  
"Oh, yeah. Takes a lotta effort ta brainwash *Ketchum*." Fess stood up, apparently satisfied with this explanation. Mew shook his head again, puzzled.  
  
*How do you know him?*  
  
"Muh brother's Brock, th' Pewter Gym Leader." Mew blinked again. "Doesn' have the longest attention span in th' world, but he wouldn't jus' get distracted an' forget he'd seen Mewtwo, Mew, an' whatever else was there."  
  
*Whoever,* Mew corrected irascibly. *Is that what you wanted to know? I need to be going someplace.*  
  
"One last thing -" Fess drew out her Pokedex and brought up the map. "D'ya know where Natus live?" He tapped a spot to the north of Violet City with his tail. *A flock goes to the little lake there every summer. *Anything else?** he asked heavily sarcastically.  
  
"Nope. Thanks. Have fun destroyin' human civilization."  
  
*I'm *not*!* Mew snapped furiously, vanishing too quickly to have taken his tail out of contact with the Pokedex. This was not a well thought-out expression of anger.  
  
Fess smirked and tapped something out on the Pokedex. Pry appeared in front of her. "Ya get where he went from that?"  
  
"YES." Pry projected anything she wanted to say in the air - Fess deliberately misunderstood Pokemon speech too much. "NEAR CIANWOOD. WHY DO YOU WANT TO FOLLOW?"  
  
"Jus' curious." Fess held up the TM - 30A. "Ya still want this?" Pry bobbed. "YES YES."  
  
"You'll be able ta use it right 'way, or ya hafta take a while ta install it?"  
  
"0.014 SECONDS."  
  
"Tha's good." Fess opened the TM a few inches in front of Pry, forcing her to dive into the flow.  
  
"JERK JERK. YOU COULD HAVE WASTED WASTED IT."  
  
"Yer that slow?"  
  
"NO NO."  
  
"Is 0.014 seconds up?"  
  
"YES. YOU KNOW, KWA WILL BE MAD MAD."  
  
"That's his problem. Ya kin tell him all 'bout what happened, 'kay?" Fess suggested quietly as she climbed a boulder, surveying the area casually. Here was a giant, boulder-filled chamber of a cave, with the smell of deep underground in the air. Fess couldn't see the ceiling, despite Pry's dim illumination. "Whatsit wit' caves and forests? Isn't there anything else in th' world?"  
  
"SOMETIMES ABANDONED BUILDINGS. QUICK QUICK GET DOWN!" Pry interrupted herself just as Fess finished reading the last word. She was beeping urgently, and Fess obeyed, ducking into a crevice between two rocks. "ANGRY TIRED FEAROW WITH LIGHT AROUND NECK COMING HERE. WITH TRAINER. HUMAN IS ADULT, THINK MALE -" Pry was still beeping, and Fess whacked her gently.  
  
"I kin see 'em. Calm down," Fess muttered, watching carefully from her post beneath the rock. The Fearow was zooming through the cave, holding someone she couldn't quite see. "Real brilliant, Fearows in here."  
  
"HE WANT GO FAST. GOSH, WONDER WHY?"  
  
There was a small flash of light - just possibly a Poke Ball capturing something - somewhere to the right. "Meeew -"  
  
"THAT *COULD* BE IT, I GUESS."  
  
"Fearow, return!" snapped a loud voice, echoing through the cavern. Fess heard heavy breathing and the sound of someone struggling across the rocks. A flickering flashlight beam was roving across the cavern. The guy shouted a curse, and apparently gave up and sat down. There was a pause.  
  
"You - are - *really* getting on my nerves -" he growled haltingly. Fess heard the faint sound of a drawstring, then someone fumbling through a backpack. She sat very quietly, waiting.  
  
Fess hadn't realized Pry had gone anywhere, but a black Porygon 2 zoomed into her face, and Fess batted her away startledly. "HE SLEEPING. LEAVE, STEAL MASTER BALL, OR WHAT?"  
  
"Think carefully, brilliant."  
  
-  
  
The most important feature of Master Balls was that it was somehow impossible to use attacks from within them. Mew could scratch and kick at the inside as much as space would allow, but any attempt to say, use Hyper Beam on the latch would result in nothing but an eventual headache if he kept trying too long. He couldn't even use Transform. The implications of that as it applied to Pokemon in general were very disturbing - *A machine can turn off our inherent abilities? What does that *make* us?*  
  
This only made being inside the things more miserable, as he had little else to think about. Yes, of course he would escape eventually - as soon as Talbot let him out, generally within a day, he would just teleport away before the madman could try anything. He always did. That idiot Hypno wasn't fast enough to stop him, and there was *no* chance that Mew would feel any kind of fringe loyalty to Talbot. He'd *told* Jiraldan that his protege couldn't be trusted. But Jiraldan, educated as he was, still treasured the philosophy that Pokemon were fundamentally inferior to humans, simply because humans couldn't be caught in Poke Balls. So he hadn't listened on the only *important* thing.  
  
Jiraldan hadn't been a bad person - he had just had some curious blind spots that had even begun to heal up. Talbot was a bad person. And Mew just didn't know what to do about him. Mew abhorred brainwashing - the realization that Mewtwo had done it had been a painful blow - and *killing* Talbot... No, out of the question. Though maybe he could just accidentally mention the crazed psychic's usual haunts to someone without such scruples... Entei and Suicune, who'd be thrilled to have something *constructive* and violent to do and would go along because she felt sorry for Mew, respectively, or Articuno, who was on the move a lot more than she admitted...  
  
No. It was wrong... Articuno wouldn't do it, anyway -  
  
*click*  
  
"Hey, hold it a sec -" Mew was already halfway around the world before it registered that he hadn't seen Talbot anywhere - just that weirdo, Fess.  
  
He paused, absently putting up a Light Screen - he'd somehow managed to land in the middle of a Beedrill hive, and their immediate reaction to anything was attack.  
  
"Drrrrrrilllllll!" *wham, wham, wham*  
  
Was this a trick?  
  
"Beeeeeeedrrrrrill!" *pound, pound, scrape, pound*  
  
Maybe she was just there to distract him for a second while Talbot tried an attack from behind or something.  
  
*WHAM scratch*  
  
"Mew mewmew mew mew? Mew mewmewmew mewmew." *Would you guys calm down? I'll leave in a second.* He didn't like making rushed decisions.  
  
*WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM*  
  
Pity he never made any other kind. If she wasn't working for Talbot, she might leave if he didn't go back soon - *Well - I'll hide in a tree and check. It can't hurt anything. Okay, so yes, it can, but - augh.*  
  
"Well, whadja know? Emails from Ted, Meggie, Mack, Ted, Mack, Meggie, Meggie, Ted, Mack, Mack, Mack, Meggie, Ted - gonna hafta have a talk wit' Ted 'bout this, huh?"  
  
"WHY?"  
  
"Always sayin' he just likes ta *act* important. Now he's givin' Master Balls ta some nutter who goes 'round catchin' Legend'ry Pokemon. Howzat for a wannabe?"  
  
"TED IS LIAR LIAR LIAR. ALWAYS."  
  
"Now, now, that ain't nice fer the guy who gave ya yer Up-Grade."  
  
"SO?"  
  
"Why you - you *meanie*. Hey, I wonder if Ted really found the thing in a box in a secret chamber in Mt. Moon while he was chasin' down th' guy who stole his Steel-type Lapras that died in an accident involvin' a flock of Psyducks, like he said, or if he jus' bought it from Mack, an' if that's the pink thing in that tree over there?" Mew paused for a moment to decode that, then teleported away again. *Okay, so I'm "the pink thing" now - whoa.*  
  
*Did you steal his Pokedex?* Mew demanded, stunned. Fess waved him away, smirking. "Nope. Stole his right parietal lobe -"  
  
*You really ought to give that back,* said Mew nervously, calculating how far this was from Talbot. Only about a hundred eighty miles - he'd have to get out of the cave first -  
  
"Yeah? Why? He's got some interestin' stuff in here. Like someone sent 'im a recipe fer fried Mew -" Mew actually wouldn't be surprised if such a thing existed. Trainers should *not* have access to the internet.  
  
*No. I am being serious. He can find you if have that.*  
  
"Yeah? I don't think so. I kin fix it -"  
  
"YOU MEAN *I* CAN."  
  
"*Feh -*"  
  
*No. I don't mean with some kind of computer thing.* Pry was projecting a complicated diagram in the air with a jargon-laden explanation scrolling along beneath it. *I mean - he's a psychic -* Mew felt his voice slipping and corrected it. *Talbot is very good at *finding* things. If he's seen something once, he'll always know where it is.* He paused to let the implications of that sink in.  
  
"Mus' be easy ta find his wallet." Mew considered knocking her out. Fortunately she continued as though she had never made that infuriating observation. "How 'bout if I paint it funny colors? Or scratch it all up?"  
  
*No. That wouldn't work. He still finds me when I'm using Transform.* He was relieved that she had supplied an excuse to skip the obvious, embarrassing questions.  
  
"Hey, wait a second - ya mean he kin actually find *you*?" Fess's eyes were wide. Mew raked his small claws across his forehead. *Do you really need an answer to that, or shall I continue?*  
  
"But I don' understaaaaand -"  
  
*Oh, shut up. Yes, he can find me, I can't stop him. Thus, I suggest that you dispose of the Pokedex before you get killed?* he pleaded, refusing to say anything further on that topic.  
  
"I'll think 'bout it. Howzit work? Can he find ya while yer still in a Poke Ball?"  
  
*I refuse to say anything further on that topic.* And he didn't know the answer to that one. Pry, as was to be expected from a Porygon, was oblivious to Mew's discomfort about the situation.  
  
"If you say so. Duz that mean he can find Master Balls, too? Like, all of 'em after seein' one?" Mew blinked. *Uh - yeah, actually. How did you know?* He didn't remember to think suspicious until she was halfway through her next statement.  
  
"Just a guess. Some weirdo mention'd somethin' like that ta me." Hm? "Just wonderin', can you read his mind an' find out where stuff is, too?"  
  
*No - that's the other problem. As far as psychics are concerned, he generally doesn't exist. Nothing works on him, unless he wants it to.* Talbot spoke very disparagingly of Sabrina, who had been frightened out of her wits when he had challenged her. *Who told you about -*  
  
"Tha's *kinda* a *secret*."  
  
*You were talking about someone named Ted. Theodore Corsica, in Pewter?*  
  
"You little *spy*. I'm callin' the police. They arrested Zapdos fer invasion of privacy when 'e listened in on a couple kids talking 'bout double-A batteries in Vermilion, ya know." A cellular phone had melted out of Pry's side - Mew suspected that that Porygon quickly got annoying. He stayed silent. "Yeah, it's Ted," said Fess after a moment, without a change in tone. "He does have a bunch've Master Balls, but he's got 'em hidden. Don't go buggin' him," she added, holding up one hand warningly. "He can't be hypnotized. Got some kinda attention span mental problem."  
  
Mew maintained his silence. He had known most of that, and was actually relieved by the last statement. He hadn't been able to hypnotize Mr. Corsica in the past - when the little Ghastly had materialized in his apartment at eight in the evening and tried to hypnotize him, Ted had just look irritated - and had worried that he might have Talbot's ability. The difference between the Hypnosis attack and the kind of hypnosis humans used was only willingness - in addition to being slow, the human technique couldn't be used on an unwilling subject. But someone *unable* to be hypnotized was out of *anyone's* reach.  
  
"He might sell 'em to ya, though." Fess's expression was perpetually cheerful. "That's how I got mine, 'course."  
  
Mew was taken aback. *I'm sure I could find them more easily...* Actually, he'd searched for Corsica's hiding place for a long time, but hadn't found any sign of it anywhere near Pewter.  
  
"They're not in Pewter. His Abra Teleports 'im to wherever he keeps 'em, and he only sells 'bout one a year."  
  
*...I guess that's about right...*  
  
"'course it is. Ya ever know me ta be wrong?"  
  
*...* Mew was beginning to suspect that the only way to maintain one's dignity around this person was not to talk. Fess crossed her arms, waiting patiently. *...what would he want for them?*  
  
"I gave him six TM 31's fer one. And it was a special one-day deal, jus' fer me." Mew ignored the editorial. *I'm not asking that poor Eevee to do anything else - I already sent a message telling him he didn't need to worry about it... Maybe I could find an HM set someplace. I *knew* I should have taken the ones I saw in the Rocket HQ -* That seemed a lot longer ago than it really was.  
  
*I'll think about it,* he said suddenly, shaking his head. He was uneasy about being this close to Talbot for so long. Fess shrugged and stood up, shouldering her backpack, and started to wander off. Pry followed her, projecting images of violent things happening to her trainer. Mew made ready to Teleport away.  
  
"Heard somethin' funny the other day. They say that there's at least one rare Pokemon that hangs 'round Ecruteak City this time've year." Mew paused.  
  
"Heard that only th' League Champion's allowed ta go near the tower, though. Too dangerous fer anyone else."  
  
They left before he could. Maybe that was the point? 


	3. Lock On

Wakeful - Part 3  
  
by Goz  
  
Disclaimer: I own some merchandise. But I don't own any of the characters or anything...  
  
-  
  
Part 3: Lock-On  
  
-  
  
Ash was seriously considering sneaking off ahead. Misty alone was annoying. Misty plus Daisy and Violet was enough to make Pikachu hide under his hat.  
  
"Where does that freak Flint, like, *go*, anyway?" Daisy was complaining now.  
  
"Do you, like, really want to know that?" asked Violet witheringly.  
  
Daisy continued ranting obliviously. "Always says that *he's*, like, the Gym Leader, but ninety percent of the time it's, like, *Brock* -"  
  
"Or Renee," grumbled Violet. She had never forgiven Brock's oldest sister for beating her with a Sudowoodo.  
  
"An' *we*, like, get made fun of just 'cause there're, like, *four* of us! Whereas Flint, like, doesn't even, like, *fight* anyone -"  
  
"Have you taken your Valium today?" asked Misty sweetly.  
  
"AN' I DON'T SEE WHY WE, like, DON' GET TO CATCH THE RARE POKEMON! They, like, *said* they think it's a Water-type -"  
  
"I'm definitely going on ahead," muttered Ash, taking off before he was asked to account for his superiority. "*Girls.*" Why couldn't Misty have just left them *all* behind? They were even more afraid of bugs than *she* was, and they *knew* they'd be going through Viridian Forest to get to Pewter.  
  
Ash paused as Pikachu suddenly stiffened and peeked out from under his cap cautiously. "What is it, Pikachu?" he asked slightly tiredly. "We're *not* lost -"  
  
"Chu, chu," Pikachu interrupted irritably, diving to the ground. He cocked his head, his ears quivering as he listened intently. "I don't hear anything -" Pikachu shot Ash a frustrated look and he subsided. Ash looked backwards uncomfortably, hearing Daisy's wails grow nearer.   
  
After about a minute, Pikachu sighed and shook his head. "Kachu," he said apologetically, and hopped back onto Ash's shoulder. "Alright. Let's go!" Ash didn't give any more thought to that. Thus, he missed something he would have found very interesting.  
  
-  
  
*Well, they didn't really leave because they were dangerous - like those stories say - it was because they got annoyed when some kid tried to catch them.*  
  
"So they're not really dangerous? How disillusioning. I could take over th' world wit' a Magikarp -"  
  
*Of course they're dangerous. But they were always careful not to knock anything over or hurt anyone. Then that little boy started throwing Fast Balls at Raikou, and they all decided to leave. Entei was *very* insulted - she set fire to the tower before they left,* Mew added slightly disapprovingly. Then he continued, sounding a little puzzled, *They always go back to the tower in late July - I don't know why - and it should be day after tomorrow. I'm not sure how anyone could have found that out, though...*  
  
"Maybe they haven't paid their book club dues. Book clubs kin get awful vindictive 'f they don't get th' check on time."  
  
*...whatever. I don't know where Entei and Suicune are right now, but Raikou's always with the cows.*  
  
"That's clearly one've the weirdest things I've ever heard," Fess observed cheerfully. Mew had been reluctant to Teleport directly into the herd of Milktanks he expected Raikou to be near - you'd think a giant thunderbolt-hurling cat would be more startling than a little pink cat using Teleport, but one never knew. So he had decided to walk - or swoop - to the herd's current residence from a spot just inside Viridian Forest.  
  
*Well, it's true. You ought to stay back - these are all wild, and they're very easily startled.*  
  
"Hey, *look*! It's *Team Rocket* wit' a *meat grinder* and -"  
  
*WILL YOU SHUT UP - now, look what you've done! GET DOWN.* A few Milktanks shifted lethargically around a tree in the middle of the field.  
  
"Waaaaugh - stop 'm, helllllllp -"  
  
*You woke up Raikou, brilliant! Get down before he sees you!* Fess ignored the agitated Pokemon, studying a Ponyta-shaped cloud. *I *mean* it!*  
  
"Oh, ya do?" Fess sat down behind a bush. Mew's tail lashed once, and he zipped off over the heads of the inattentive Milktanks.  
  
Fess spent an awful lot of money upgrading Pry. That might have been why she owned only four changes of clothes. In any case, Pry could somehow translate any form of Pokemon speech and amplify a conversation taking place forty yards away. The most obviously useful skills came in handy maybe once in a lifetime.  
  
"*WHAT* DID YOU SAY?!"  
  
"I'M SORRY - I JUST - WEREN'T SURE WHERE YOU WERE -"  
  
"WHAT'S THE POINT OF BEING PSYCHIC IF YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL WHERE *I* AM?! NEVER MIND - GET LOST BEFORE YOUR TRAINER FINDS ME."  
  
"I JUST HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU. IT'LL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT -"  
  
"SO TELL ME ALREADY. [EXASPERATED SOUND]"  
  
"WHEN YOU THREE GO TO THE TOWER, THERE ARE GOING TO BE HUMANS WAITING -"  
  
"*WHY DID YOU TELL YOUR TRAINER ABOUT US?!?!?!*"  
  
Pry interrupted herself: "I DON'T LIKE THIS GUY."  
  
"I DIDN'T -"  
  
"WE HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LEAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT WE WERE THERE. WE ARE NEVER SEEN *WHILE* WE ARE THERE. NO OTHER POKEMON WOULD DARE -"  
  
"*I DIDN'T.* LISTEN -"  
  
"YOU GET AWAY FROM ME BEFORE YOU CAUSE MORE TROUBLE! WE'LL DEAL WITH THEM OURSELVES! OR I -"  
  
Mew reappeared - his left eyelid was twitching. *Someday I shall teleport him into a shopping center...*  
  
"'kay. Didja accomplish anything?" Pry had switched the screen printing out the two cats' words with one displaying winged toasters.  
  
*...no,* he decided frustratedly. *I think I'll have to destroy Ketchum and Oak's Master Balls to stall them.*  
  
"That doesn' sound like th' best solution," Fess understated.  
  
*Well, convincing *them* depended on Raikou. Entei would never change her plans because of a threat, but she would if Suicune wouldn't go along with them. Suicune would have agreed with Raikou if he decided going was too dangerous, because he's the weakest and in more danger of anything than she or Entei would be.*  
  
"Are *they* convinced they can't be caught?" Mew was apparently too relieved to be getting sensible questions out of her to think much about the content. *No - the Sneasel who steals TM's for them tells them too much about how Poke Balls work for that.*  
  
"'kay. How ya plan ta get hold've Ketchum an' Oak's Master Balls?"  
  
*That's none of your business.* Mew was clearly nervous about hanging around Fess too much - she knew more about Master Ball manufacture and distribution than most of Team Rocket, you know.  
  
"Ketchum'll be in Pewter 'bout three today. He's always there or Cerulean after he gets beaten, an' Misty an' her sisters are gonna be in Pewter anyway."  
  
*...how do you know that?*  
  
"Got a spy - Lily's Seaking emails me everything that they do. He's part of the underground Seaking movement ta take over Cerulean Gym an' replace the Waterflowers wit' paid Jynx impersonators, an' I'm their computer consultant." Mew didn't respond. "My sister sent me an email 'bout it. She wanted ta know if I wanted ta try an' beat 'em again."  
  
Mew's tail twitched. *I'll think about it...*  
  
-  
  
"Oh - uh, hi - um, Rena?" Ash could never keep Brock's siblings straight - he remembered people more by their eyes than anything else.  
  
"Renee," this one corrected, shuffling through the coats in the closet. Ash tried to align "messy brown hair, t-shirt and jeans way too big, and pointy ears" with the name "Renee", and found that he remembered Renee as being the fairly normal one. *Argh - it's impossible -*  
  
"Oh... sorry... how's your, uh, Sunkern?" he asked, glancing around nervously. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder to wander down the hall, looking piqued. Brock *had* know they were coming, right? Where'd he get to this time?  
  
"Invincible. Beat a Charizard las' month," the girl continued matter-of-factly, selecting a black cardigan and tugging it on quickly. "I'd evolve him, but I heard his stats'll go down by three-fourths if I do."  
  
"I see... Do you know -"  
  
"*Fess!*" A female voice yelled angrily from the kitchen. "Your Quagsire's *fighting* some guy in the garden!"  
  
"...Ya!" The liar snatched up a Poke Ball she had dropped on the floor and tore past Ash and out the door. Pikachu followed her a few steps, then stopped, wrinkling his nose.  
  
"Hey, Ash!" Brock called, strolling into view at the end of the hall.  
  
"Uh, hi," Ash replied, glancing backwards. "Fess" had dashed around the left corner of the house, holding a Poke Ball threateningly. Pikachu was peeking out the door after her, one eye narrowed.  
  
"*Leave my Quagsire 'lone, ya freak!*"  
  
He continued, "You've got weird relatives -"  
  
"*Hey!* Excuse me -" Brock interrupted, knocking Ash over as he pursued his sister. Ash muttered something uncomplimentary as he stepped out the door and took the neglected shorter route to their garden, down the set of stairs to the right of the door. He heard Fess hiss, "Get it *exactly* right, cat, Kwa's first owner -"  
  
"Stop right there!" yelled Brock, hurling down his Golem's Poke Ball, as Ash wandered down the stairs, shaking his head. Fess was standing in front of a very uncomfortable-looking Quagsire, glaring at a black-haired guy with a ponytail and a Fearow. The guy with the Fearow flinched violently as Golem materialized in front of him, and Pikachu's pride naturally demanded that he get involved, too, hopping onto Golem's head and striking a threatening pose.  
  
"Hi," said Ash uncertainly, waving. "I'm the League Champion. You wouldn't be doing something illegal, would you?"  
  
"..." The black-haired guy's eyes settled on Ash, and he gritted his teeth in frustration. Then he turned to Fess, looking icy. "Give it back if you know what's good for you. I can find you now. *Do you understand?*"  
  
"Nope. Got the IQ've doilies." She did not look particularly impressed, and her eyes had even opened completely.  
  
"I *don't* think Kwa ever belonged to you, considering that *I* caught him," Brock began tolerantly.  
  
The insane guy shot Brock a disbelieving look, then gestured sharply to the Fearow, who obediently picked him up by the shoulders and started off away. Pikachu gave Ash a questioning look, and Ash shook his head. "Be ready, you - *hey!*" The Fearow irritably pecked the guy's arm when he accidentally hit the bird's wing with his threatening gesture. Fess waved good-bye cheerfully.  
  
Brock turned to her slowly. "Fess... what was *that* about?" 


	4. Black Mareep

Wakeful - Part 4  
  
by Goz  
  
Disclaimer: I own some merchandise. But I don't own any of the characters or anything...  
  
-  
  
Part 4: Black Mareep  
  
-  
  
Brock turned to Fess slowly. "Fess... what was *that* about?"  
  
"Beats me," she said, shrugging, then turned and gestured commandingly at the Quagsire with a Poke Ball. "Return a'fore ya get in more trouble." The Quagsire looked furiously indignant, but obeyed anyway.  
  
"Um, no. You've got some guy thinking that Kwa belonged to him. You did *something*," Brock informed her on no uncertain terms, looking cross.  
  
Golem, deciding that this didn't concern him, started to lumber off. "DON'T STEP ON THE PLANTS!" someone ordered from the kitchen. Golem half-turned to glare at the window, then executed an improbable leap out of the recessed garden and onto the grass, causing a marked lack of ground-shaking.  
  
Fess laid her hand over her heart, looking deeply wounded. "Wha, ya suspect me of somehow provokin' a maniac ta thinkin' he owned Kwa? Whadya think I did, ran inta his Quagsire while I wuz at Cornflower River with Kwa, found out that they were old friends an' that the guy's Quagsire was allergic ta humans, and paid a Mr. Mime wit' a car a copy of "The Interpretation of Dreams" ta take the Quagsire ta Mt. Silver, but the guy wasn't very smart and thought Kwa wuz his 'cuz Kwa snored like the other one when the Wigglytuff herd put him ta sleep -"  
  
"*No.* I don't think *that*," Brock interrupted impatiently. "I -"  
  
"Okay, then," said Fess cheerfully, putting her hands in her pockets and wandering off around the house again. Brock followed her frustratedly. Ash and Pikachu glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed.  
  
"I *do* think that you might have told a story like that about Kwa, and some part of it somehow turned out to be true -"  
  
"Yeah, he's got a pretty generic snore," she agreed cheerfully as she kicked open the door. Ash noticed that the Poke Ball she had put in her pocket was shaking - the Quagsire must have changed his mind about being put away.  
  
Pikachu shook his head and ran off towards Brock's living room, where Daisy could be heard continuing her complaining. Ash briefly wished the maniac had wanted a battle so he could have delayed explaining why *he* was the one who got to catch the mysterious Pokemon in Ecruteak.  
  
"Fess -"  
  
"Hey, Renee," Fess said, walking into the kitchen. The young woman stirring the pot of soup and brushing a dozing Growlithe simultaneously was definitely the one Ash remembered as Renee. "Is Devon 'round? Found that Pokemon 'e's been lookin' for."  
  
"A Vulpix with Faint Attack? He's here, but - you see, he caught one himself, a couple months ago, but it got stolen by Team Rocket last week. So he might not want yours -"  
  
"I saved th' day, then, didn't I? Team Rocket attack'd me fer th' Pokemon I caught, and one've 'em dropped this Vulpix's Poke Ball."  
  
"Really?" Renee spun around, smiling in surprise. "You got it from Team Rocket? What was it you caught, anyway?"  
  
"Mew. He was payin' me ta help him destroy Team Rocket's Master Ball factory - breakin' inta their headquarters for him, see - but I tricked him and used th' Master Ball I got from Ted on him." Renee nodded solemnly. Ash gave Brock an uncertain look - Brock shrugged helplessly. "But I let him go and did it anyway 'cuz I thought it'd be funny. And after he wuz done wit' Team Rocket, he teleported off somewhere, and I taught Pry Teleport wit' a TM he told me where ta steal from the headquarters and followed him, an' I saw an emotionally disturbed psychic guy catch 'im and threaten 'im in the Master Ball, so I stole the ball so I could make fun've him 'bout it."  
  
"I see," said Renee, taking the profferred Poke Ball Fess and running it through her Pokedex. The Growlithe growled at the ball. "This is Devon's Vulpix, all right -"  
  
"No kidding!" said Brock, surprised.  
  
"What, doncha trust me?" asked Fess.  
  
"- that has to be the meanest thing you've ever come up with, by the way," continued Renee absently, patting the ball and putting her Pokedex back in her apron pocket. Brock looked at Ash mildly indignantly when he exhaled in relief.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome." Renee looked abruptly back at the Growlithe, who was waving his paw anxiously at the bubbling soup and whining. She placed the handle of the spoon in the obedient puppy's teeth and instructed him sternly, "You watch the soup while I bring Aidie to Devon at the gym. I'll just be gone about ten minutes - don't let it burn." The Growlithe nodded solemnly and climbed onto a breadbox of pasta to stir the pot.  
  
Renee nodded and looked up, seeming to notice Ash and Brock for the first time. "Oh - hello, Mr. Ketchum. Misty and her sisters were worried you'd gotten lost - they're in the living room with Vickie. Brock, Ted dropped by with the HP Ups you ordered, but I think Eugene took them to gamble with battling that Chad kid."  
  
"Thanks, I'll strangle him later. Hold still, Fess -" Brock chased her out into the hallway, and Ash followed, unable to think of anything else to do.  
  
"Mind 'f I show Daisy muh new Weedle?"  
  
"*Yes.*"  
  
"I'm the League Champion - go ahead," said Ash magnanimously.  
  
"Well, now I don' wanna do it," complained Fess, turning and crossing her arms. "Ya jus' ruined it. Jerk."  
  
"*What was that about a Weedle?*" someone shrieked. Vickie ran out the door and held out her hands, eyes bright and malevolent.  
  
"Quick, give me the Waddle before they escape - URGLE!" A Starmie had rolled into the doorway and Hydro Pumped her, knocking her to the floor. Ash and Brock jumped backwards to avoid being sprayed, and Fess flattened herself against the wall.  
  
"You meanie. Ya know what happens ta people like you, doncha?"  
  
"We get Water Pumped by Starches," grumbled Vickie, trying to wringing out both her sleeves at once as she stalked ineffectively away.  
  
"*Hydro Pumped* by *Starmies*!" corrected Misty sharply as she picked up her Pokemon and patted it consolingly. "Starches... you know, Brock, I don't think you have a single sane sibling!"  
  
"Yer definitely *not* a black kettle."  
  
"Oh, no, it's, like, *her* again!" wailed Daisy, coming up behind Misty.  
  
"Have - no, you, like, *haven't*, like, done anything about your, like, hair yet," observed Violet poisonously. Misty nervously began to back away - Ash wasn't sure whether it was because of the Caterpie on the wall or her sisters.  
  
Daisy continued, "Or, like, found any clothes that, like, *fit* -"  
  
"Catch," said Fess, tossing her the Caterpie.  
  
"*Eeeeeeek!*" Daisy flinched backwards violently, desperately trying to shake the Caterpie off of her hands. Violet dove behind a chair, looking terrified. "*Get RID of it!*"  
  
Misty glanced at the ceiling, too embarrassed to be afraid. "Uh... Starmie, use Water Gun, please..."  
  
"Yer gonna mess up th' Caterpie's clothes -"  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAAH! MIIIIIIIIIISTY!" Daisy jumped up, staring tearfully down at her soaked clothing - Brock looked away, blushing. Violet seized the moment, pointing furiously at Fess. "You didn't say SHE was going to go with us!"  
  
"Gosh, I didn't?" said Misty, startled. "I could've sworn -"  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! Make her LEEEEEEAVE!"  
  
"I live here."  
  
"I'm not goin' if she's gonna be theeeeere!" shrieked Daisy.  
  
"But I'm th' Pokemon -" Daisy fled past the stammering Brock and Ash. Violet followed, shooting Misty a disgusted look. Ash tactfully contained his snickering until they were gone.  
  
Brock turned to follow them, then gave up. "Fess..." he asked slowly, "Why did you do that?"  
  
"I get real mad when people make fun've my hair. Tha's why they call me "Get's Mad When Peopl' Make Fun've 'er Hair"," Fess explained as she transferred the dazed Caterpie back to the wall. Ash wondered how it had gotten this far into the house without help.  
  
"Who calls you *that*?"  
  
"Dunno. I do."  
  
"Okay, go to your room!" snapped Brock, unable to think of any other response.  
  
"I can't. Some'un turned it inta Eugene's since I left."  
  
"Then go to *Eugene's* room."  
  
"I can't. I'm actually Devon in disguise, and he's not 'llowed in there. 'sides that, I've got more weirdos to upset t'day. Hey -" she asked Ash without a pause, "Isn' Gary Oak the only one qualified ta catch th' thing in Ecruteak now?"  
  
Ash gritted his teeth. "No. The *League Champion* -"  
  
"But th' radio said Oak jus' beat you. Real bad, too."  
  
"According to *someone's* interpretation, that won't go through for three days," said Misty, sitting down cautiously on the damp couch.  
  
"And until then, I *am* the League Champion!" cried Ash, brandishing a Poke Ball. Pikachu shocked his foot.  
  
Brock frowned as he used a cushion to mop up the puddle Starmie had left on an end table. "That's not the way I read it -"  
  
"Three falcons, towering in their pride of place, were by a mousing owl hawked at and killed!"  
  
"That's nice," said Brock politely. Ted nodded seriously.  
  
"Three?" asked Fess.  
  
"Well, they're all in the same *place*," said Ted, surprised.  
  
"Uh-huh. Think yuh read it wrong. Anythin' else?" Ted shook his head and walked out the way he had come.  
  
Ash and Misty blinked, mildly stunned. "Is *he* related to you, too?" asked Misty, glancing at the door nervously as though expecting another lunatic to follow.  
  
"You have quite a supply of insane people around here," Ash observed at the same time.  
  
"Mad," corrected Fess, who never stopped smiling.  
  
"No, no. He runs the Poke Mart," said Brock, waving a hand in annoyance. "But *someone* gave him permission to wander in whenever he wants - due to something relating to an ancient curse and evil green Clefairies with bells around their necks and nickel in the walls - Fess, you are not going to Ecruteak."  
  
"Really? Ya sure 'bout that? I don' think I gotta be anywhere - lemme check muh schedule. Hey, Pry, am I s'posed to be anywhere?" Fess asked her Pokedex. An image of flames and bobbing pitchforks appeared in the air. "But I'm Presbyterian -"  
  
"Fess. No. Go pull bricks out of old buildings by yourself -" Ash and Misty stared at Brock. "Or whatever it is you do now," he finished, unsure what he'd said wrong.  
  
"Sure. I gotta feed th' mock turtle first, though - see ya in Ecruteak -"  
  
"Okay with me," said Misty, smiling sweetly at Brock.  
  
"FESS!" Brock ran after her, shooting Misty a bewildered look.  
  
"Uh, Misty -" said Ash, gritting his teeth.  
  
"Hey, Daisy, I changed muh plans -"  
  
"*You did?*"  
  
"*She's decided to bring her Porygon after all!*" Misty yelled.  
  
"*Wagh!*" That could have been either Daisy or Brock. The second theory gained more merit when Brock stormed back in, blushing furiously. "Misty, have you got *any* idea what you've just done?"  
  
"It's either her or *those* two," said Misty, unapologetic.  
  
"Look, you do *not* know Fess," Brock began frustratedly. "She once convinced the police that all of us were on Team Rocket and Vickie was Giovanni's second-in-command -"  
  
"What'd she say? Did you have to break out of jail?" Ash demanded.  
  
Misty snickered, "Was your dad home? Doesn't he already have a record?"  
  
"'This is senior executive Vickie - I want you to steal all the Slow Folks from the Saffron Gym -'"  
  
"You must've done *something* -"  
  
"You wouldn't think it was funny if *you'd* been arrested for fourteen thousand counts of grand theft!" Brock exploded. "And been put in the same cell as *Eugene*!"  
  
"What was *your* supposed rank? Did you have a version of the motto?"  
  
"Did it involve protecting the world from anyone who dates -"  
  
"Has it sunk in yet?" snapped Brock. "She does that kind of stuff *all the time*. She'd be *thrilled* to get on the news for being the one to uncover Ash Ketchum's plot to paint Indigo Plateau green, or something!"  
  
"Daisy spends an hour every night doing arcane things to her hair. Violet spends *two*," Misty informed him.  
  
"Your Pokedex will be re-registered so that one of the Cerulean Gym Leaders is named Reginald."  
  
"They both think they should get to catch the rare Pokemon because they painted their Lure Balls colors it would like," said Ash.  
  
"Pikachu will awake to find Totodile makeup glued on." Pikachu was sensibly ignoring them and poking at an electrical outlet.  
  
"Lily just won a beauty pageant. Neither of them placed," said Misty. Brock blinked.  
  
"...okay, but *you're* gonna pay for anything she breaks."  
  
-  
  
Mew had been making little strangled sounds and clawing his ears for about five minutes, so Fess decided leave until he was finished. *Stop right there!* he wailed. She turned around, smiling patiently.  
  
"What'sa problem?"  
  
He stared at her disbelievingly. *Okay. Talbot *saw* you - he knows where you *are* - and, and you just agreed to go to Ecruteak with - with *those* three - and *what about Corsica*?!*  
  
"'s south've France -"  
  
**Shut up.* Okay, where's the Poke Mart? I want those Master Balls. Why did I agree to this, why am I still here, *why* didn't I sneak onto the space shuttle when I had the chance - if Clefairies can live on the moon - well, *where*!?*  
  
"Clefairies kin really live on th' moon?"  
  
*None of your business!*  
  
"That way."  
  
*Wha - oh, the Poke Mart.* For a moment Mew stared blindly in the direction of the skyscrapers visible over the trees. *Umm... do you have any less clumsy Pokemon I could transform into?*  
  
"Pry ain't good enough for yuh?"  
  
*I'd have to be rude to everyone I saw. Some people find that *difficult*, did you know that?*  
  
"Yeah. I hate those people. Yer gonna hafta get back in th' Poke Ball 'less you wanna 'ttract attention."  
  
*No. Does Kwa have any attitude problems?*  
  
"He don't like Mystery Science Theater."  
  
*You are not taking this seriously! Fine, I'll just teleport into the Poke Mart basement and wait - and I'm warning you, if you try to *use* those Master Balls -*  
  
"Ya know, ya still ain't made an offer fer *mine*."  
  
*Maybe I'll break it and brainwash you.* Fess was not quite stupid enough to get on a legendary Pokemon's last nerve. "Whatever. You got anything real valuable I oughtta know about 'fore I ask 'im what he wants? Or d'ya care if he knows you exist?"  
  
*...* Fess tried to imagine the sort of things an ancient legendary Pokemon might be willing to bargain to reach a goal it was so obsessed with. There would probably be more of knowledge and people - Pokemon - who'd gotten on his nerves than of things. What *would* he sacrifice to destroy all the world's Master Balls? Her mind produced a fantastic image of an insubstantial greenish-blue creature flitting through a thick forest, and another of a dawn over an ocean where a huge bird - or maybe two, or more - slipped in and out of the water without a splash. Would he tell anyone about them, knowing there were other Master Balls out there and that some would sell their souls for a moment when everyone knew their names? *...tell him I can get all the evolution stones he wants. And TM's.* No, the rest of the world deserved some sense of mystery, even though he had lost all of his.  
  
He vanished, his expression pensive, and Fess stared at the spot where he'd been for a few seconds, expecting him to come back and blow her up when he realized what he'd been doing. She started back towards town with the uncomfortable knowledge that she had been inside the mind of a far better person than she was, and that still she was already wondering how much the tabloids would give her for a video of him. 


	5. Edges

Wakeful - Part 5  
  
by Goz  
  
Disclaimer: I own some merchandise. But I don't own any of the characters or anything...  
  
Notes: Yeah, over a year since the last chapter. Don't give me no lip.  
  
I also changed a lot of Fess's dialogue in the older chapters to make her easier to understand - even I can't get through that slur now. I don't think I made any other changes, but you never know. Mew might have been Angemon before.  
  
-  
  
Part 5: Edges  
  
-  
  
Fess never expected much out of people, and her place in the world felt more secure when, when she told Ted she needed to talk to him in private, he made bad jokes loudly enough that the whole Poke Mart heard him.  
  
Once in his office, he promptly dropped that persona for another. "Now, *what* is it you want? I assure you, I was not prophesying anything that involves you vitally earlier -" He acted nervous about something and kept slicking back his hair. It could have been just a new mannerism he'd adopted.  
  
"Whatever. Know someone who wants ta buy yer Master Balls. Asked me ta find out how much ya want for 'em."  
  
"All of them? Do you know how many that is?" He sounded incredulous, but Fess didn't dismiss it as hyperbole as easily as she might have. Theodore Corsica was obviously playing deeper games than Fess had thought - anyone whose name was known to a legendary Pokemon had to be.  
  
"Not a clue. How much ya want?"  
  
"I understand someone named Talbot has sworn to steal Kwa, does this have anything to do with that?"  
  
"'f I said it wuz him -"  
  
"No, no, it's obviously not him, he'd never hire someone for something he could do himself, especially not someone like you. Whatever "like you" is -" Ted accidentally clawed his ear, then looked wildly at the window to make sure the blinds were closed. "Who was it?"  
  
"Prob'ly someone who don't care 'f anyone knows who they are. Just sent me 'cuz I'm so cute."  
  
"It's rude to be sarcastic with a straight face. You are not helping your case at all." It may have been an accident that he was acting like Mew. Anyone nervous would seem like Mew to Fess just now.  
  
"I got a case?"  
  
"Something has gotten you so distracted that you are being insufficiently weird." Ted was trying to pace, but there were boxes in the way. "And furthermore it is too much of a coincidence that you've made an enemy of Talbot and are asking me this the day after the last Master Ball factory is destroyed -"  
  
"The last what?"  
  
Ted abruptly punched her in the eye, and she backed towards the door a pace. He stared at her irresolutely for a moment, then said in an intense voice, his eyes unfocused, "Damnit, you know where it was, you've probably been there hundreds of times, and furthermore I know exactly who you're doing this for. Did you think he was a secret? Tell him there's no charge as long as he waits at least a year to go after Maggie and Mack's hoardes - and as long as *you* make sure everyone knows *mine* is gone within a *month*!" Fess didn't say anything. "You're impossible! Tell him he's got my permission to root around in my head if he wants! I haven't got time for this, he - does Talbot still have any Master Balls, just tell me that!?"  
  
Fess couldn't follow that jump in Ted's thoughts, so she answered as best she could. "I got one of 'em. Don't know if 'e has others."  
  
"Okay. Maybe he does - you know all three of us make a policy of not selling a new Master Ball to someone who doesn't bring back the remains of the first one, don't you? Don't want any new dealers nosing in." He giggled. "Well, keep it mind while you're dealing with Talbot. You'll probably be able to do more with the information than I can right now, and listen, have you got any idea if this is going to be good enough for him?"  
  
"Him" was said with an edge. "I gotta talk to him first. Gimme yer keys." Ted's eyes bulged slightly. He yanked a desk drawer open viciously and tossed them to her.  
  
"Hurry."  
  
Fess stuffed the keys into her pocket and left without another word.  
  
Fess opened the basement door and stepped in. She waited a moment, then slapped her forehead exaggeratedly, and closed and locked it behind her. *Well?* asked the little voice edgily.  
  
"How many Master Balls 's Talbot got right now?"  
  
*Why?*  
  
"Ted's losing 'is nerve an' wants outta the business. Afraid of Talbot and don't want to be around when he comes back fer more."  
  
*...He's got one other. He usually only keeps one at a time - so I won't get a chance to destroy more than one at once - but for some reason he had a spare this time. You didn't give me a chance at it.* Mew sounded a little cranky. *What did Mr. Corsica say he wants?*  
  
He hadn't grasped the meaning of what she'd said. "No charge. Jus' wants you to wait 'till everyone knows his stash is gone 'fore ya go after Maggie and Mack's. Afraid of them, too."  
  
*...he already knew about me?* This did not, apparently, come as a total surprise to Mew.  
  
"Yup."  
  
*Okay, fine. Ask him where it is.*  
  
"'kay. Yer welcome."  
  
*...thank you!* he added as she opened the door.  
  
When Fess reached for the map Ted had hastily drawn, he grabbed her arm and glared at her, demanding in a low voice, "And just what do you get out of this?" She shrugged and looked down at her wrist. Ted released it and dropped into his seat, burying his head in his hands. "Leave the keys with whoever's at the counter, okay?" he said in a strange voice.  
  
Fess left quickly. "No problem."  
  
-  
  
Brock, Ash, and Misty talked a lot about training, something that bored Fess. She alternated between lagging behind and running ahead. She wasn't sure why they were walking to Ecruteak rather than driving - even Ash was nearly eighteen, surely *one* of them had their license. Not that Fess did, but then she couldn't see two Gym Leaders and half the League Champion hitchhiking. Even these Gym Leaders and this half.  
  
That reminded her of the prime reason they should be hurrying. If Ketchum was so determined to catch this mysterious Pokemon, why was he giving Oak the chance to get there first? She was hazy about what sort of Pokemon Oak had, but was certain there was an Abra evolution in there somewhere. He could have teleported in and been scouting out Ecruteak for days. Ketchum wasn't a genius, but he couldn't be stupid enough that he hadn't thought of it. She was considering Teleporting ahead to check things out for herself when she heard Misty ask, crankily, "And you're sure you're not going to get in trouble for breaking his Alakazam's nose?"  
  
"Nah, Professor Oak was watching, he said himself it was Alakazam's fault for misjudging his Teleport. Gary won't argue with *him*."  
  
"You're positive he's still in Blackthorn?"  
  
"Tracey's going to call when he leaves -"  
  
"You don't have your *phone* with you."  
  
"Yes, I - wait -" Fess swung her backpack off, patting the pocket her Pokedex was in.  
  
*You had better not be thinking of having Pry teleport them -* Mew began, sounding nervous.  
  
Fess hadn't been sure he was still there. "I'm gettin' th' drink Renee packed fer me out," she said quietly.  
  
*...what?* Fess smirked and gestured vaguely back towards Pewter with the bottle. "'s Milktank milk. She's always givin' it ta me - thinks I've got a calcium deficiency."  
  
*Oh.*  
  
"You wan' it?" Fess caught a glimpse of something pink out of the corner of her eye.  
  
There was a pause. *Okay. Thank you.* The bottle disappeared from her hand - the others didn't notice, occupied as they were in searching for a working cell phone - and Fess rolled her eyes.  
  
*I am a cat. Cats drink milk,* said the disembodied voice defensively.  
  
"Wasn't sure yuh ate 'tall." Apparently, Legendary Pokemon had some *practical* skills - he hadn't asked for help getting the lid off.  
  
*People bring offerings to Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos. And sometimes Celebi.*  
  
"Duz the electric cat drink milk, too?"  
  
The air wavered behind her again. Fess wasn't sure whether to classify it as a blush or a giggle. Either was depressing, she thought. *Uh... I don't think so. I think he just likes the Milktanks because they're quiet, and don't want to fight him.*  
  
"Wouldn' think much would wanna fight 'im."  
  
*Well, other Pokemon always want to beat Legendary Pokemon in battle - to brag about or something.* Mew sounded slightly embarrassed, for some weird reason. *I guess it's like you humans wanting to catch us,* he added blandly.  
  
Fess ignored him. "All three're definitely gonna be there? Any of 'em ever skip out?"  
  
*They'll all be there. Suicune gets distracted easily, but Entei's always with her, so none of them has ever missed yet.*  
  
"I'm guessin' that there's gonna be people other'n Ketchum and Oak there."  
  
Dead silence, then a little nervous sound somewhere nearby. *Why?*  
  
"Ted made a joke 'bout falcons in their pride of place being killed by little hawks, or somethin'. Likes ta quote dramatic soundin' stuff. Prob'ly just wanted ta say it in front've Ketchum," she added.  
  
*Then why do you think -*  
  
Fess interrupted the frustrated inquiry with a wave of her hand. "Well, how's *Ted* find out anythin'? If he knows, other people gotta."  
  
Mew was silent for a beat, then exploded, *Talbot had a spare Master Ball!*  
  
"Yep," she said smugly. She'd been sure he'd find a reason to panic.  
  
*Th-that's insane! If he can't handle *me* - if that Hypno - if *Suicune* - but if Raikou... *damn it*! I hate Talbot.*  
  
Mew always spat out creepy-guy's name, wanting to get it over with quickly, but this time it came easily; his voice was distracted, a little wondering. His thoughts rose around Fess again.  
  
- hundreds of years old, maybe thousands, and still he was able to hate people. It was disgusting. Why did *she* always have to be right? -  
  
Fess was entirely unfamiliar with the emotions that "she" was charged with.  
  
- She had said something else, though, something that was more important right now. It had been another line like, "Hate is all that keeps us moving," another idea that he had dismissed as manga-mad-cynic-prophet idiocy. If she was right - but she had also said he'd be coming to see her again soon. That was less than a year ago. Now would be soon, wouldn't it? Today? *Couldn't she have warned me ahead of time?! She's the only one who could get ahead of time, anyway...*  
  
Sometimes he stopped worrying that the years had driven him insane, decided that self-consciousness was all the imbalance his little pink head had room for. But now again he was brought to the edge of something darker, something reeking and cold that sent him reeling away from the places in his ancient mind still left unmapped. She always took him there; a word from her was like the end of the world, or like the beginning, something he often felt so close to and that everyone thought she had seen, but neither ever dared speak of. *I don't *want* to see her...* -  
  
Fess thought, *Hundreds of years old, maybe thousands, and he's still afraid of death.* She didn't like it.  
  
- No, calm down. It was okay. In a cat's life there were fleas and there were dogs, and she was only one of the former - just bored, foul-mouthed little Celebi, sulking in the trees behind her single shrine in Ilex Forest, only appearing to those who were *interesting* enough to be worthy of being graced with her presence.  
  
Fess decided that she liked that part. Mew's dark night of the soul receded as suddenly as it had come. *If she was lying...*  
  
"'course I was. 'bout what?"  
  
*I wasn't talking about you!... why *do* you keep lying, anyway?* he asked, in a tone close to the conversational.  
  
"The best lie," she said cheerfully, "Is the one that's true."  
  
*Oh, I'm the best lie? I'm flattered.*  
  
"Oh, I ain't sure a' *that*. Maybe 'f I could get Ketchum ta become a Hare Krishna and bury ya alive wit' a couple purple Weedles an' a wood duck -"  
  
*Shouldn't the best lie accomplish something?*  
  
"A *true* liar lies fer the sake've the *art*." Despite his belittlement of the Guardian of the Forest, he was still having to work up his nerve to teleport. She glanced backward - two phones had surfaced, but so had four address books. Misty was hitting Ash with one of them.  
  
*I see... What are they doing back there?*  
  
"Lost Sketchit's phone number, an' Ketchum's fergot the phone 'e knows ta call."  
  
*- So Oak might already be in Ecruteak?*  
  
"Could be."  
  
The air wavered somewhere off beside her; that worried him. It only made sense. Ketchum saw the good Pokemon, but he never caught them; Oak had never been given his chance. Fess doubted that he would blow it the way Ketchum had. Or she had, for that matter.  
  
Fess had fooled around with a lot of things she shouldn't have, and she thought she could recognize a ruthless person. One thing she had in common with her brother and his friends, she'd discovered, was that she wasn't one. There were a couple people she thought might have killed her if they hadn't seen it. Oak, they wouldn't have let by so easily. Oak knew how to be ruthless. When he found something he wanted, or even something someone else wanted, he'd drop his moral baggage and take it. He was the one Mew needed to worry about.  
  
Mew knew it, too. *- I think I'd better go and check,* he sighed. *Not that Entei and Suicune are likely to be there yet, but... Okay, could you please not - no, of course you couldn't. By all means, *do* drop hints, incite chaos, and generally entertain yourself. I'll be back in a couple of hours.*  
  
Fess said, "No problem. Enjoy yerself."  
  
Yes, she could tell when he was gone. It wasn't any sort of psychic thing; it was just the way things settle down when any jumpy guy goes outside to smoke. Nerves weren't an individual thing. They got into the air.  
  
Misty was screaming now, and Ash was turning red. Fess got her Pokedex out and checked her address book - yep, at some point she'd put a number for Sketchit in there. She couldn't remember if she'd gotten around to whatever she'd planned for it - if she had, it wouldn't be good anymore. Idly, she pressed "Call."  
  
It didn't even get a full ring in. "Hello, damnit?!"  
  
Now, whatever could he be so worked up over? "This's Sketchit?"  
  
"- yes -"  
  
"The one wit' the hat wants you. Hold on." Yes, she would incite chaos, all right, she thought, running back towards the fight. What else did she ever do? 


End file.
